Stacking wind turbine blades for sea transport

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method of stacking wind turbine blades for sea transport. An improved way of arranging blades for sea transport, where less structural framework is needed, would be advantageous. Structural framework not only causes additional cost, but also takes up additional time for arranging the blades for transport. The invention involves a method of stacking wind turbine generator blades for sea transportation, the method involving attaching a blade root support frame to a root flange of the blade, is supported by at least two legs located as at least one leg on each transverse side of a root end of the blade, and attaching a blade spanwise support frame to a spanwise portion of the blade, and where the spanwise support frame includes least two legs located as at least one leg on each transverse side of the blade, where the legs of the root support frame and the spanwise support frame extend both downwards and upwards and are adapted to have lengths downwards and upwards in order that at least two blades are stackable on top of each other, and wherein a stacking support structure for the blades consists of mainly the support frames, when the at least two blades are transported at sea.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A method of stacking wind turbine generator blades for sea transportation, the method comprising:
 attaching a blade root support frame to a root flange of the blade, where 
 the root support frame includes a main support part, which is supported by at least two legs located as at least one leg on each transverse side of a root end of the blade, and 
 an attachment part adapted for being attached to the root flange of the blade, and 
 attaching a blade spanwise support frame to a spanwise portion of the blade, where 
 the spanwise support frame includes a cradle-like support part adapted to engage and support a spanwise surface part of the blade, and 
 where the spanwise support frame is supported by at least two legs located as at least one leg on each transverse side of the blade, 
 where the legs of the root support frame and the spanwise support frame extend both downwards and upwards and are adapted to have lengths downwards and upwards in order that at least two blades are stackable on top of each other, 
 wherein a stacking support structure for the blades consists of mainly the support frames, when the at least two blades are transported at sea, and 
 wherein the attachment part of the root support frame is pivotable about a horizontal axis, which horizontal axis is transverse to a longitudinal, spanwise direction of the blade. 
 
     
     
       2. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein at least two root support frames, spanwise support frames as well as blades are provided to facilitate a plurality of blades to be stacked on top of each other. 
     
     
       3. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the root support frames and spanwise support frames are attached to a vertically adjacent root support frame and spanwise support frame, respectively. 
     
     
       4. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the method comprises that at least two root support frames, spanwise support frames as well as blades are arranged to facilitate a plurality of blades to be stacked on top of each other adjacent to a number of already stacked blades and support frames. 
     
     
       5. The method according to  claim 4 , wherein sideways adjacent root support frames are interconnected by attachments. 
     
     
       6. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein at least two blades are stacked alternating on top of each other, such that a tip end of a lower blade is located adjacent to a root end of an upper, adjacent blade. 
     
     
       7. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein at least two blades are stacked on top of each other, such that a tip end of a lower blade is located adjacent to a tip end of an upper, adjacent blade. 
     
     
       8. The method according to  claim 7 , wherein at least two further blades are stacked on top of each other as well as on top of at least two stacked blades, such that a tip end of a lower blade of the two further blades is located adjacent to a tip end of an upper, adjacent blade, and wherein the tip end of the lower blade of the further two further blades is located at adjacent to a root end of a lower blade. 
     
     
       9. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the cradle-like support part is pivotable about a horizontal axis, which horizontal axis is transverse to a longitudinal, spanwise direction of the blade. 
     
     
       10. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the method comprises stacking of pre-bent blades.